Ending the 5th weekend on a great note

So today was the the finish of our fifth weekend here, which means I will be on a flight home in less than four weeks. We had a pretty relaxed day yesterday because we went to a day spa and got to experience that as well as a 45 minute traditional Taiwanese full body massage. Let me just tell you that that was one of the weirdest things I have ever experienced. I didn't think they would get that close to you but I was proven wrong. We got there at about 8am yesterday and were slapped across the face by the fact that you were not really expected to wear clothes at all... and otherwise we would be the odd ones out. So Lisa Jacqui and I got some bonding time which was amazing. It was about 75 bucks for four and a half hours of unlimited hot tubbing, showering(which they made us to like every hour), a buffet style breakfast and lunch, saunas and lounges to just relax in, and included in that price was our massage.
So after that we hit the town and thought we were going to do some cultural things but of course being the three girls we are, we ended up back at the silk market and probably spent more money than we should have, again... haha it seems to be a bad habit of ours but it is also very entertaining to convince a chinese market worker to sell you a black jacket that your mom was planning on buying you for $180, and only end up spending 150 kwai which is equal to about $20! aha so I got a feminine jacket that you would appreciate mom!!! anyways then I convinced this lady that I was not spending any more than 80 kwai on this dress, and I walked away and she came back and agreed, and I kept walking and she came down to saying anything in the store for 50 kwai... aka I bought 3 dresses for 20 bucks. So I think I made out pretty well with my bargaining skills!
Last night though I have to say was probably my favorite part of the weekend. Danielle had sent us an e-mail about a week ago with the invitation to a fashion show and clothing/art museum display and we hit her up on that. It was amazing. We got in for free, which we were originally suppose to pay 100 kwai ( let me just define the exchange rate $1 = 7 kwai) to get in but she knew the artist and he wouldn't let us pay. So we went in and saw the display and then walked around this back yard courtyard that was gorgeous!! A company that is going to be opening a business in Beijing soon was there giving samples of their chocolate fondue and so we got a sample of that and it was AMAZING!! We each got a plate full and we told the owner we would go visit his shop when they opened and we are getting really excited.
Then the show started, which was when the fun started (minus the traditional Chinese singers). They had traditional Chinese outfits and just everyday clothing that was absolutely beautiful. After that and the nail screeching Chinese signers that needed to do one more volume check on their sound system, Danielle was asked to come up and she mentioned that her louchers(teachers) were here with her and so after the whole show was over, she was invited back up to dance on the stage and they told us to come up with here. We got to go up on stage and dance with Mr Wang (the owner) and the designers and models! It was awesome and then we took pictures with the group which we are hoping to be able to track down somehow.
So today we went to the Beijing Zoo which was pretty cool but pretty sad as any of those places are. The animals were locked up in small cages and looked sad and depressed so that was sad but it was awesome to see the panda's that were brought in from the Shieswan providence, which is where the earthquakes took place. They were about the only live and happy looking animals in the whole zoo! And just so you know mom I topped your bird pooping on your head story! I got peed on by a monkey!! Now it was not on my head but it barely missed it!!
So we did that and then headed back to the Forbidden City to finish it off, because it is that big! Our taxi driver missed it by a mile though and so we walked the length of it about four times and each way was about 1/2 a mile. It doesn't sound bad but I had THE WORST shoes on that I bought at the market. I wore them the yesterday and at the end of the day decided that they were not walking shoes yet I guess I forgot this morning when I got dressed... It was amazing and we got some good sun!
So on with another week!! Hopefully we get some more amazing kids because we have been pretty lucky so far!!